Aeroplane



, May 1o, 1927.

J. s. ABREU n AEROPLANE' Filed Feb. 11. 192;` 2 Sheets-sheet 1 /N VEN 'ron er if llllll. Yllllllllmvh J. S. ABREU l May 10 1927.

` AEROPLANE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb 1l. 1926 Patented May 10, 1927.

UNTED STATES 'ref JOAQUIN S. ABREU, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

AEROPLAN'E.

Application filed February 11, 1926.

My invention relates to improvements in aeroplanes wherein a fuselage. provided with planes and a rudder, and controlling means therefor, is arranged to lie releasably secured upon a body, provided with propellingmechanism to permit said fuselage to be gli-der to facilitate the landing of said fuselage without damaging the same and without injury to the operator or passengers.

Another important object is to provide an improved aeroplane of -the character described adapted to permit the fuselage, the planes and rudder and their controls to be released from one body and secured to anotherbody whereby said fuselage may be kept in service during the overhauling of propelling mechanism carried by the first body.

A further object is to provide an improved aeroplane whereby the fuselage and the equipment and contents thereof may be moved from one body to another to avoid the necessity of an entirey interchange of aeroplanes for long distance service such as the transporting .of mail and the like, thereby effecting a saving in time and avoiding a duplication of equipment.

A still further object is to provide an improved aeroplane embodying improved features of construction adapted t'o facilitate operation and obtain increased efficiency.

I accomplish these and other objects by means ot the improved device disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present specification wherein like characters of reference are used to designate similar parts throughout said specification and drawings and in which,

,Fig. l is 'a side elevation of my improved aeroplane in assembled relation.

Flg. 2 is a side elevation showing the fuselage released from the body.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the fuselage and body, the figure being drawn upon a larger scale.

Serial No. 87,591.

Figs. 4 and 5 are broken sectional details showing the manner in which the securing means carried by the fuselageengage and release respectively the retaining lugs carried by the body.

Fig. 6 is asectional detail showinga plan of a portion ofone'of the securing members.

Fig. 7 is a broken vertical sectional detail showing themanner in which the instrulnent board carried `by the body is received within the fuselage, and also showing a side elevation ot' the actuating means for one of the securing members.

Referring to the drawings the numeral l is used to designate in general the main body of an aeroplane provided with a pro' peller 2 actuated from a suitable source of -power, not shown, housed within the body 1 in the' well known manner. The body is provided with Wheels 3 carried upon a suitable framework 4 below the body 1 for landing and for moving the plane upon the ground as in common practice. An instrument board 6 is pivotally mounted upon the. body and provided with the usual controls for controlling the propelling mechanism.

A fuselage designated in general by the numeral 7 is arranged to be releasably secured upon the 'body 1 of the aeroplane. The fuselage 7 consists of a suitable hollow body upon which are secured main planes 8, elevating planes 9, a rudder 1U and suitable control mechanism, not shown, mounted and operating in the Well known manner, the plane and rudder controls being carried entirely by the fuselage. The fuselage is provided with seats and storage space arranged to suit the type of machine and the service for which it is designed.

The fuselage? is arranged to be secured upon the body 1 by means of securing members 11 preferably consisting'of a pair of bars extending longitudinally within the sides of the fuselage and provided with a plurality of wedge shaped extensions 12 arranged to be moved into engagement with apertures 13 formed in lugs 14 carried by the body 1 of the air plane and arranged to extend into the body of the fuselage through openings 16 formed therein. The bars 11 are slidably movable within the body of the fuselage and are arranged to be actuated by means of pivotally movable levers 17 positioned within reach` of the drivers seat whereby the bars may be moved to cause the extensions 12 to engage or disengagc the lugs 14 as desired.

The instrument board- 6, secured upon the body 1, is arranged to be received Within the fuselage 7 through an opening 18 formed therein whereby the controls mounted upon said board may be made visible and accessible to the driver of the aeroplane. board is made pivotally movable in order to facilitate the placing of the fuselage thereover and to prevent injury, to the board or instruments should the fuselage be lowered onto the body the opening 18 is not vertically aligned with the board.

A plurality of leaf springs are secured vupon the fuselage 7 and arranged to be compressed and flattened between the fuselage and the adjacent portions of the body 1 when the fuselage is secured in position upon the body 1. The. compressed springs 19 tend to separate the fuselage from the body and, while the. fuselage remains connected to the body, the springs assist in maintaining a rigid engagement between the extensions 12 and the lugs 14. When the fuselage is released, as hereinafter more fully described, the springs force the fuselage 7 and body 1 apart and insure a quick and positive disengagement. After the fuselage 7 has been released from the body, the springs 19 serve as resilient landing or supporting skids eooperatingwith a tail skid 2l secured adjacent the rearward end of the fuselage in the ordinary manner, to facilitate. landing and to support the fuselage above the ground.

In operation, the fuselage 7, carrying the planes 8 and 9 and the rudder 10 together with the controls therefor, is applied upon the body 1 of the aeroplane by pressing the fuselage downwardly against yfthe pressure of thesprings 19 until the lugs 14 enter the corresponding openings 16 in the fusela e. The levers 17 are then operated to move me extensions 12 of the bars 11 into engagement with the apertures 13 in said lugs 14. The Wedge shape extensions force the fuselage downwardly into close contact with the body land eifectually secure to fuselage in engagement with the body. The levers 17 are preferably locked against inadvertent movement by means of suitable links 22 or other suitable securing means. As thus secured, the fuselage 7 and body l. combine to form an aeroplane of a form similar to the ordinary aeroplane and operating in a manner fully analogous thereto.

Should the propelling mechanism of the aeroplane becomev inoperative during the' course of the flight, the operator may release the fuselage from the body 1 of the aero- 'plane by moving the levers 17 to cause the extensions 12 to disengage the lugs 14; When the lugs 14 are disengaged, the

springs 19 'immediately force the fuselage.l

The

and body apart, thus permitting the body to fall to the ground separately from the fuselage. The fuselage ,now `may be independently operated as a glider, the plane and rudder controls remaining intact with the fuselage. lVhen relieved of the excessive weight and resistance of the body and propelling mechanism, the fuselage may be controlled with comparative ease and by manipulating the device as a glider a safe landing may be accomplished without damage to the fuselage and its equipment and without injury to the operator and any passengers accompanying him. Thus in case the engine becomes disabled or inoperative for any reason, the occupants of the machine and a portion of the machine itself maybe saved and the loss restricted to the body and propelling mechanism of the machine. In

landing the fuselage, the springs 19 operate as resilient landing skids absorbing the shock of impact with the ground and preventing serious damage to the fuselage.

In addition to the value in saving life and property, as above explained, my invention is of particularI value and utility in effecting economy where a number of aeroplanes must be kept in constant service. is well known, the propelling mechanism ot' an aeroplane is subject to extremely high strain, and must be completely overhauled at frequent intervals. In the ordinary type of aeroplane the entire machine illust be taken out of service while such oi-'erhauling and repairing is being done. My present invention affords a. means for utilizing the fuselage and the equipment carried thereby to be utilized in connection with any of two or more bodies provided with the necessary propelling mechanism. In this way, the main body and propelling mechanism only need be taken out of service for overhauling and repair while the fuselage, planes, rudder' and controls, which are not subject to excessive Wear and do not require such frequent overhauling, may be applied upon another body and kept in service continuously.

This effects a large saving as the du lication i of planes, rudders, controls, fuselage bodies and associated mechanisms heretofore necessary may be avoided to a very large extent.

My invention is also of great utility and value in connection with long distance air service such as the transporting of mail and the like wherein vit is customary to change planes at certain points along the rout-e., Such changes have heretofore required that. the cargo be unloaded from one aeroplane and reloaded upon another planeV before setting forth upon each succeeding stage of travel. By my invention, the entirefuselage maybe released from one body andmoved as a unit onto the body intended for the succeeding stage. The changing of the fuselage from one body to another may be Asy accomplished in a very brief interval of time and a substantial saving of time 4effected in making such transfer.

v A springactuated cover 24 may be applied to normally close the openin'gl8 to exclude water from the body should the fuselage descend upon'a body, of Water. In this mannera landing may be safely made upon the water, the buoyancy of the fuselage 7 serving to keep the saine afloat.

lVliile I have illustrated and described what I now consider to be v the preferred form and construction of my invention, the device is of course subject to modification in numerous ways Without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore do not wish to restrict myself to the'specific features of construction described, but wish to avail iii'yself of all iiiodiicat ions which mayfall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letlters Patent is,

1. An aeroplane comprising a body provided with propelling means; a detachable fuselage adapted for independent operation as a glider; and means for normally securing the fuselage to the body and operable for releasing said fuselage from said body.

2. An aeroplane comprising a body; propel-ling means mounted upon the body; a fuselage; planes and a rudder mounted upon the fuselage; and means for detachably securing the fuselage upon any of a plurality of bodies and released when in flight for in dependent operation as a glider.

3. An aeroplane comprising a. body; propelling means mounted upon the body; a fuselage; planes and a rudder mounted upon the fuselage, said fuselage being adapted to be operated as a glider independently of the body; a plurality -of securing elements arranged to normally secure the fuselage upon the body; and means for operating the securing elements to release the fuselage from the body.

4.. An aeroplane comprising a body; a propelling means mounted upon the body; a fuselage; planes and a rudder mounted upon the fuselage, said fusela e being adapted to be operated as a glider independently of the body; securing means detachably securing the fuselage upon 4the body and operable to release said fuselage from said body; and means for moving the fuselage out of engagement with the body when released.

5. An aeroplane comprising a body provided witli pro elling means; a fuselage re'- leasably secure upon the body and adapted for operation as a glider independently of the body; land resilient means mounted between the fuselage and body for moving the same apart when the\fuselage is released from the body.

6. An aeroplane comprising a body provided with propelling means; a fuselage releasably secured to the body and adapted for operation as a glider independently of the body; and springs normally compressed between the fuselage andthe body to force the same apart when said fuselage is released from said body.

7. An aeroplane comprising a body; a fuselage releasably secured to the body and adapted for operation as a glider `independently of the body; and a plurality of leaf springs secured to the fuselage and normally compressed between said fuselage and the body to force the same apart when said fuselage is released from said body, said springs being adapted to operate as resilient landing skids for the fuselage when separated from the body.

8. An aeroplane comprising a body; a fuselage adapted for operation as a glider independently of the body; a plurality of retaining members connected to the body and arranged to engage the fuselage; and

securing means mounted upon the fuselage and arranged to detachably engage the retaining members' for releasably securing the fuselage upon the body whereby the fuselage may be secured upon any of a plurality of bodies orreleased from a body when in flight.

9. An aeroplane comprising a body; a fuselage adapted for operation as a glider independently of the body; a plurality of retaining members connected lo the body and arranged to engage openings formed in the fuselage; and securing means mounted upon the fuselage and movable into detachableeiigagement with the inwardly extending 'portions of the retaining members for releasably securing vthe fuselage upon the body whereby the fuselage may be secured upon any of a plurality of bodies or released from a body when in flight.

10. An aeroplane comprising al body; a fuselage adapted for operation as a glider independently of the body; a plurality of lugs formed upon the body and arranged to engage openings formed in the fuselage; and

securing elements slidably movable linto engagement with the lugs to releasably secure the fuselage upon the body whereby the fuselage may be secured upon any of a plurality of bodies or released' from a body when in Hfiight.

11; An aeroplane comprising a body; a fuselage adapted for operation as a glider independently of the body; a plurality of llt) lugs formed upon the body and arranged to engage openings formed in the fuselage: and securing elements slidably movable into engagement with the lugs'to releasably secure the fuselage upon the body whereby the fuselage maybe secured upon any of a plurality of bodies or released from a body when in flight; and means for moving the -l it) body and fuselage apart when said fuselage is released.

12. An aeroplane comprising a body; a fuselage adapted for operation as a glider independently of the body.; a plurality of apertured lugs formed upon the body and arranged to engage ,openings formed in the fuselage; a pair of bars slidably mounted within the fuselage and provided with extensions arranged to engage the apertures in the lugs; and meansfor moving the bars to cause the extensions to engage or disengage the lugs whereby the fuselage may be releasably secured upon any plurality of bodies oi' released from a body when in Hight.

13. An aeroplane comprising a body; a fuselage adapted for operation as a glider independently of the body; a plurality of apertui'ed lugs formed upon the body and arranged to engage openings formed in the fuselage; a pair of bars slidably mounted within the fuselage 4and provided with extensions arranged to engage the apertures in the lugs; and means for moving the bars toy cause fthe" extensions to vengageor disen'gage thef lugs whereby the fuselage may be releasably secured upon any plurality of bodies or released from a body when in liight; and means for moving the body and fuselage apart when said fuselage is released.

14. An aeroplane comprising a body; a'

fuselage adapted for operation as a glider independently of the body; a plurality of apertured lugs formed upon the'body and arranged to engage openings formed'in the ffuselage; apairof bars slidably mounted within the fuselage andvr provided witli'extensions arranged to engage the apertures in the lugs; and means for moving the bars to cause the extensions to engage or disengage the lugs whereby the fuselage lmay be releasably secured upon any` of a plurality of bodieslfor released lfrom a body while in Hight; and leaf springs arranged to be coinpressed between the fuselage and body to move the same apart when the fuselage vis released.

15. An' aeroplane comprising a body; propelling means mountedl upon the body; a fuselage; planes and a rudder mounted upon the fuselage; controlling means for said planes and Irudder; an instrument hoard' v:mounted upon the body and arranged to i'eceive controls for the propelling means, said boardV being arranged to be received within board being arranged to be received within the -fuselage through an opening formed therein; and means for detachably securing the fuselage upon the body whereby the fuselage may be released froin'said body for independent operation as a glider or for attachment upon another body; and means forl moving the fuselage and body apart when said fuselage isreleased.

17. An aeroplane comprising a body; propelling `means mounted upon the body; a

fuselage; planes and a. rudder mounted upon the fuselage; controlling means for said planes, and rudder; an 'instrument board mounted upon the body and arranged to receive controls for'the propellingmeans, said board being arranged to be received within the fuselage through an openingv formed therein; and means for detaehably securing the fuselage upon th'ebody whereby the fuselage may be released from said body for independent operation as a glider or for attachment upon another body; and leaf springs arranged to be compressed between the fuselage and body to move the saine apart when the fuselage is released, said springs being adapted to operaie as landing skids for-'the fuselage -when separated from the body.

18. In an aeroplane, the combination with a body equipped with propelling mechanism, of a fuselage arranged to carry an operator and passengers or freight, said fuselage be ing detachably secured to the body whereby said fuselage may be applied upon any of a plurality of bodies and whereby said fuselage may be released when in Hight for independent operation as aA glider.

In witness whereof 1 hereunto set my signature.

J OAQUIN S. ABREU. 

